Getting the Most Out of Linux Network Troubleshooting Tools
Pinning down complicated network issues doesn’t have need to involve the use of complicated tools. You don’t need to craft packets by hand and have the network engineering knowledge of a CCIE. More often than not you can easily troubleshoot a network issue using the readily available tools that ship with most Linux distributions. Spending less time finding and installing third-party tools means you have more time to get to the bottom of the problem.
In this article, we’ll explore some common and fairly straightforward networking tools and how to use them. Most of these tools are usually included in most popular distributions, but there will also be installation instructions where applicable for each one just in case.
While most of these tools can be used for very simple purposes like checking host connectivity or bandwidth, they can also be used in more advanced ways to investigate problems. This doesn’t mean you absolutely need to go deep diving through the man page, but usually there are additional flags that can be of great use that are less widely known. Sometimes studying the additional options available for a built-in package reveal functionality that would prevent you from reaching for a third-party tool.
Let’s take a look at some of these tools and common scenarios where you can apply…
